The present invention relates to a fixing device for fixing a dispenser member to the neck of a container, and more generally to a fluid dispenser using such a fixing member.
When packaging perfumes, cosmetics, or pharmaceuticals, a fluid is frequently packaged in a dispenser which comprises a container forming a reservoir, and a dispenser member in the form of a pump, of a valve, or of some other dispenser head. To fix the dispenser member to the container, in general at the neck thereof, it is known that fixing devices can be used that fix the dispenser on the neck of the container in sealed manner.
Several techniques exist to enable fixing devices to fasten to the neck of the container. Three main types of fixing are known, namely screwing, crimping, and snap-fastening. In fixing using screwing, it is necessary for the outside wall of the neck to be provided with a thread. In the crimping and snap-fastening techniques, it is necessary for the outside wall of the neck to have a suitable profile making co-operation possible by snap-fastening or by crimping. In general, it is common to form the neck with a reinforcing rim that projects radially outwards so as to define a bottom ledge that extends inwards to meet a thinner portion of the neck that then connects to a shoulder formed by the body of the reservoir. Such a design is entirely conventional for a container neck. With such a neck as provided with a reinforcing rim and with an bottom ledge, it is possible for snap-fastening or crimping to be achieved under the bottom ledge.
The invention concerns more particularly the snap-fastening type of fixing. Numerous devices already exist for fixing by snap-fastening to a neck provided with a reinforcing rim and with a bottom ledge. That type of snap-fastening fixing device commonly uses a ring forming an annular abutment web that comes into abutment against the top end of the neck, and a peripheral skirt that extends around the neck and that has inwardly-projecting profiles that co-operate with the bottom ledge of the neck. Thus, the ring is fixed on the neck by bearing against the neck via the abutment web, and under the ledge via the profiles formed by the skirt. As indicated above, several techniques exist for bringing the inwardly-projecting profiles of the skirt under the bottom ledge. In a technique described in Document U.S. Pat. No. 4,773,553, an outer band is used that is engaged around the ring, and more particularly around the skirt, in order to deform the skirt under the bottom ledge. The skirt may be formed by a continuous cylinder, but it may also be in the form of peripheral tabs that are laterally aligned with one another. Before the band is engaged, the skirt has outwardly-extending projections that are displaced by creep of the material over the bottom ledge, this being achieved by forcing the band down onto the ring. In that technique, the band is used to deform a portion of the skirt from the outside inwards under the bottom ledge. Other techniques exist, such as, for example, the technique described in Document FR 2 769 860 which concerns a fixing system in which the skirt of the ring is provided with a continuous inwardly-projecting bead that comes into engagement under the bottom ledge by force. In that fixing system, the band that covers the ring does not take part in the fixing under the bottom ledge, but rather it serves a purely esthetic purpose by masking the fixing ring. It should be noted that, with that fixing system, when the inwardly-projecting snap-fastening bead passes over the reinforcing rim of the neck, the ring is caused to expand, so that it is no longer possible to mount a trim band that comes into contact with the ring at the inwardly-projecting snap-fastening bead. In that document FR 2 769 860, provision is made to form a shoulder in the ring so that a space is created between the band and the skirt of the ring at the snap-fastening bead. Thus, the skirt is free to deform outwards without damaging or being hindered by the trim band.
The fixing achieved by the first system described in Document U.S. Pat. No. 4,773,553 performs very good tamper-proof fixing because the skirt of the ring is locked under the bottom ledge by the band that covers it. However, it is not possible to mount the band on the ring before mounting the ring on a container neck. In addition, while the fixing achieved by the system of Document FR 2 769 860 admittedly does make it possible to mount the trim band on the ring prior to mounting the ring on a container neck, the fixing is not reliable since nothing comes to lock the snap-fastening bead under the bottom ledge. It is therefore possible to withdraw the ring from the neck by exerting some force.
An object of the present invention is to remedy the above-mentioned drawbacks of the prior art by defining a fixing device that is secure and tamper-proof, and that can be put in place on the neck of a container while its trim band is already in place. In addition, neither the ring nor the band need to form a setback so that the band can come into contact with the skirt permanently even while the fixing device is being mounted on the neck of a container.
To achieve this object, the present invention provides a fixing device for fixing a dispenser member to the neck of a container, said device comprising a ring forming an annular abutment web serving to come into abutment against the top of the neck, and a peripheral skirt serving to surround the neck, the skirt forming tabs defining free ends, said fixing device being characterized in that each of the tabs is provided with at least one deformation zone. Advantageously, preventer means are provided surrounding the tabs from the outside so as to prevent the tabs from deforming outwards. The tabs are deformed inwards when thrust is exerted axially on their free ends. The tabs are forced to deform inwards since they are prevented from deforming outwards by the preventer means that may be in the form of a trim band engaged around and preferably in contact with the peripheral skirt. Unlike in Document U.S. Pat. No. 4,773,553, the trim band does not serve to push the tabs of the skirt under the bottom ledge, but rather merely to prevent them from being deformed outwards. The inward deformation of the tabs is generated entirely by the thrust on their free ends.
The invention also provides a fluid dispenser comprising:
a container defining a body forming a reservoir for the fluid, said body forming a shoulder from which a neck extends, said neck being provided with a reinforcing rim that projects radially outwards so as to define a bottom ledge that extends back inwards to meet a thinner portion of the neck that connects to the shoulder of the body;
a dispenser member such as a pump or a valve mounted on the neck of the container; and
a fixing device for fixing a dispenser member to the neck of the container, said device comprising a ring forming an annular abutment web serving to come into abutment against the top of the neck, and a peripheral skirt serving to surround the neck, the skirt forming tabs defining free ends, said fixing device being characterized in that each of the tabs is provided with at least one deformation zone at the bottom ledge, and in that preventer means are advantageously provided surrounding the tabs from the outside so as to prevent said tabs from being deformed outwards, so that the tabs are constrained to deform inwards under the ledge by means of their free ends bearing against the shoulder of the body when thrust is exerted axially on their free ends.
Advantageously, the deformation zone comprises an outside groove and an inside groove. While the tab is being deformed inwards, the inside groove comes to be received under the bottom ledge, thereby fixing the ring to the neck of the container.
According to a characteristic, the deformation zone comprises an inside rib suitable for pivoting inwards when thrust is exerted axially on the free end of a tab. More precisely, the inside rib comes into engagement under the bottom ledge of the neck not only by pivoting inwards but also by entraining the remainder of the ring downwards, thereby contributing to pressing the abutment web strongly against the top end of the neck. It is thus possible to achieve sealing at the top end of the neck, optionally without using any neck gasket. In a practical embodiment, the rib is defined by two inside grooves.
According to another characteristic, the tabs are separated by non-deformable skirt segments, the free ends of the tabs projecting relative to the skirt segments when the tabs are not deformed, and coming substantially into contact with the shoulder of the body when the tabs are deformed.
The invention is described more fully below with reference to the accompanying drawings which give embodiments of the invention by way of non-limiting example.